Firelog using Diatomaceous Earth and Organic Fibers

ABSTRACT

A fire starter which contains about 1% to 16% long porous organic fibers and 1% to 8% diatomaceous earth additives to create a firelog that is capable of being extruded at lower pressures and contains air pockets to aid in oxidation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Current U.S. Classification: 44/10 R; 44/24; 44/38; 44/40; 44/41; 44/534; 44/521; 44/535

International Classification: C10L 5/00; C10L 11/00; C10L 5/14

Field of Search: 44/10 R, 38, 24, 40, 44/41

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM

Not Applicable

CITATIONS

Cited Patent Filing date Issue date Original Assignee Title U.S. Pat. No. Mar. 8, 1954 Apr. 23, 1957 ARTIFICIAL FIREPLACE 2,789,890 LOG U.S. Pat. No. Sep. 3, 1968 Apr. 10, 1973 SYNTHETIC FIREPLACE 3,726,651 LOG U.S. Pat. No. Jan. 9, 1976 Oct. 26, 1976 Custom Research and Fire kindler 3,988,121 Development, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. Apr. 30, 1976 Aug. 23, 1977 Linwo Industries Ltd. Artificial fireplace logs with 4,043,765 ignition strips

REFERENCED BY

Citing Patent Filing date Issue date Original Assignee Title U.S. Pat. No. Apr. 11, 1988 Mar. 7, 1989 Kimberly-Clark Manufactured fuel article 4,810,255 Corporation U.S. Pat. No. Mar. 21, 1988 Mar. 7, 1989 Kimberly-Clark Composite fuel article 4,810,256 Corporation U.S. Pat. No. Jul. 1, 1988 Nov. 28, 1989 Sebring Forest Artificial firelog 4,883,498 Industries, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. Jan. 25, 1991 May 12, 1992 Sebring Forest Fuel block 5,112,365 Industries, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. Mar. 23, 1994 Feb. 28, 1995 Artificial fireplace log and method 5,393,310 for making the same U.S. Pat. No. Mar. 14, 1995 Oct. 10, 1995 Bancroft Bag, Inc. Self-kindling fuel package 5,456,732 U.S. Pat. No. Sep. 13, 1995 May 6, 1997 Combustible bag for igniting material 5,626,636 contained therein apparatus and method U.S. Pat. No. Jan. 15, 1997 Jun. 16, 1998 Conros Corporation Fireplace log ignition source and 5,766,275 artificial fireplace log U.S. Pat. No. Jul. 14, 1997 Jan. 12, 1999 Advanced Natural Solid fuels 5,858,032 Fuels Limited U.S. Pat. No. May 28, 1997 Jan. 12, 1999 Conros Corporation Artificial fire log 5,858,036 U.S. Pat. No. Aug. 28, 1998 Jun. 15, 1999 Supernova Clean Multi-layered solid combustible 5,912,192 World article and its manufacture U.S. Pat. No. May 28, 1999 Sep. 5, 2000 Processed solid burnable fuel 6,113,662 composition U.S. Pat. No. Apr. 12, 1999 Oct. 17, 2000 Conros Corporation Firelog wrapper 6,132,481 U.S. Pat. No. Dec. 13, 2001 May 31, 2005 Systems and methods of enhancing 6,899,740 consumable products U.S. Pat. No. Aug. 31, 2009 Mar. 27, 2012 Weyerhaeuser NR Artificial fire log 8,142,526 Company USD397780 Feb. 3, 1997 Sep. 1, 1998 Conros Corporation Firelog

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to firelog construction, a method of making fire log or artificial fire logs with wax and combustible cell matter, but with the addition of organic porous flammable fibers and porous diatomaceous earth the addition of which allow for an appreciable increase in flammability, heating value and flame intensity.

2. Description of Related Art

Traditional firelogs are common and have been used in homes for years to provide a method by which to easily have a contained fire. Firelogs generally aim to solve a problem of igniting and maintaining fires by providing a highly flammable, continuous and intense flame that burns alongside firewood.

Artificial firelogs are a common type of burnable material. Prior art artificial firelogs commonly are composed of: wood particles or other combustible cell matter including saw dust, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark; combustible non absorbent materials including coffee grounds, nut shells, corn shells, olive pits; a combustible wax or binder including paraffin wax, slack wax, vegetable oil or other types of flammable waxes. The combustible wax component of a firelog often contains various highly flammable expensive petroleum additives designed to increase flammability. Artificial firelogs are also commonly enveloped in a wax paper wrapper that is lined with a flammable substance to further increase the likelihood of initial ignition.

Artificial firelogs may also contain different types of additives to alter the scent of a firelog, the sound or burning or other ways to more accurately mimic that of a natural log. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,373 discloses that a firelog could be produced with coriander seed, diatomaceous earth or other volcanic rock for the purpose of creating a natural crackling sound that mimics a natural fire. U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,306 discloses that metallurgical coke could also produce such a natural crackling sound.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 225,244; 1,050,535; 2,789,890; 3,637,355; 4,040,796; 4,104,034; 4,326,854; 6,719,816; 8,007,550, 8,123,824; and 8,142,526; incorporated by reference herein, provide sample configurations and manufacturing methods of common firelogs. Typical art fire logs are composed from roughly 40-60% wood particles or other combustible cell matter and 40-60% of a combustible wax or binder component. U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,824 discloses the addition of combustible non absorbent materials. The non absorbent material component, which may for example include: coffee grounds, nut shells, husks or olive pits are designed to improve caloric content, provide increased BTU energy value when burning and to make the candle more affordable to manufacture by replacing petroleum wax content.

The main disadvantage of the using dense non absorbent materials as well as regulated organic solvents in firelogs is the added manufacturing cost. Manufacturing firelogs require machines capable of extrusion at pressures of 700-800 PSI or higher. As a result of this high pressure, machinery is often worn out of added labor costs are incurred to fix the machinery. Manufacturing cost are further increased because machines are required to process these raw materials. Some firelogs also contain processed shards of dense non absorbent cellulosic material that has the potential to injure a user. Further, use of firelogs made from dense non absorbent materials result in added environmental costs. A firelog with non absorbent materials does not burn as cleanly, contains remaining residue and has a high char content. Finally, the resulting extruded and compacted firelog is often heavy and not very porous which reduces the speed of oxidation.

Artificial firelogs are commonly enwrapped, covered with starter gel or grooved to ease the preliminary ignition and continued burning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,796 discloses the use of notch that extends throughout the length of the firelog. This notch is designed to increase the surface area of the firelog and its overall flammability. This notch may be filled with a flammable gel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,796 also discloses the use of an overwrapper lined with flammable gel. Both of these disclosures are designed to promote initial and flammability by allowing the user to light an enveloped firelog. Although these methods are generally effective, the main disadvantage is that current firelogs are too restricting and do not provide proper airflow to take full advantage of these features. Even with these methods to aid preliminary ignition, common firelogs typically are too densely compacted to take advantage of them and often burn uncontinously and flicker.

As an object of the present invention, there exists a need to improve upon traditional art fire logs by providing a fire starter that is inexpensive to manufacture, a fire starter that is environmentally friendly, and fire starter that allows for the reduction of costly wax components by substituting in other materials. A further object of this present invention is to provide a firelog that enables the free flow of air by being more porous for the purposes of enabling efficient oxidation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Artificial firelogs that embody features of this present invention typically compose of: combustible cell materials, and a wax or other binder blended and shaped in a method typical of firelogs available in the past. The present invention adds long organic fibers to this combination of materials during the creation of the firelog. These long organic fibers may be supplemented by similar agricultural fibers. A typical combination of this present invention contains 1-10% organic fibers. These organic fibers are less dense than traditional firelog components and will enable the firelog to be manufactured more cheaply and to be extruded with less wear and tear on the machinery. Organic fibers will also reduce the need for costly wax by substituting petroleum based wax for organic fiber that contains a similar energy content without a dramatic drop in overall energy content. These natural fibers will also replace some of the non absorbent cell materials common in firelogs of the past that will create a cleaner burn with less char, less debris, and one that is more environmentally friendly. Natural fibers added by this present invention will also create a lighter firelog. The objective adding these natural fibers is to provide a firelog that is inexpensive to manufacture, environmentally friendly and a firelog that weighs less.

Under another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth may also be added to the above described firelog combination. A typical combination contains 1%-8% diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth allows for a better air flow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exoskeleton. Diatomaceous earth also increases the surface area of a firelog, resulting in a firelog that is easier to light, maintain a flame and more receptive to the use of notches and wrappers as a method of initial fire ignition. Under this present invention, diatomaceous earth is not added for its crackling sound properties. The objective of adding diatomaceous earth is to create a resulting product that is more porous with a greater air flow which results in a stronger burning flame that does not flicker.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The artificial firelog of this present invention may provide for a more economical method of production of firelogs by replacing dense non absorbent cell matter of a firelog with long organic fiber. The replacement of dense non absorbent cell matter, either in full or in part, will allow for an equivalent energy content, but result in a product that is much more compactable and reduce the stress on machinery. The components firelog of this present invention may include those components of a traditional firelog: combustible cell material, wax or oil or fat based binding material and non absorbent combustible cell material to meet the objectives of this present invention.

Replacing, either fully or in part, the non absorbent cell matter of a firelog with organic fibers will allow for a product that is much easier to manufacture since organic fibers are much less dense than common non absorbent cellulosic matter including: pistachio nut shells, walnut shells, coconut shells, hazelnut shells, hickory shells, beech shells, oak nut shells, olive pits, peach pits, prune pits. These typical non absorbent cellulosic materials, while generally effective as a petroleum wax substitute have a high mass per volume ratio, resulting in a very dense product that requires machines that are capable of reaching 700-800 psi or more to extrude a block. This high psi requirement results in added strain on machinery that increases the wear and tear on machines. Further, the use of this dense non absorbent cellulosic require additional processing to ensure the other exterior of a firelog block does not include the jagged edges of this cellulosic material that penetrate the surface of the firelog, which could potentially injure users.

Raw long strained organic fiber, natural or man made, are a class of materials that have continuous filaments or discrete elongated pieces. Fibers are often produced by nature, animals, geological processes or by man. Fibers tend to be long and supple with good tensile strength. Organic fibers have the properties having much lower mass per volume ratio, typically being less dense than non absorbent cell matter of typical firelogs. In the extrusion process, the use of organic fibers in place of denser fire log ingredients reduces the need for heavy machinery and the wear and tear suffered by machines when used. Further, less power is consumed because organic fibers do not require as much processing. For example, non limiting raw long strain organic fibers of this present invention include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses. These organic fibers have a lower density than the non absorbent cellulosic material that under the present invention they will replace in whole or in part.

In one embodiment of this present invention, the following ingredients are mixed in together in the following proportions based on weight: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 30% to about 60%, (b) combustible cell material from about 30%-60%, (c) non absorbent cell material from about 1% to about 8%, (d) long strain organic fibers from about 1% to about 10%. The resulting fire log will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of combustible cell material that this present invention may compose of include: saw dust, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark.

Non limiting examples of absorbent combustible cell material that may or may not be included as a component of this present invention include: nut shells, corn shells pistachio nut shells, fruit pits and apple pits.

Non limiting examples of combustible wax or binder material this present invention may compose of include: palm oil wax, soy wax, paraffin wax, vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soy oil, petrolatum, recycled wax.

Non limiting examples of organic long strain fibers that this present invention may compose of include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, in whole or in part, is directly related to the ease of manufacture and better burn ability of this present invention. Because of the lessened manufacturing pressure, due to the lower density components of this present invention, a lessened layer of wax veneer is formed, so the resulting product is more porous with greater air flow which results in a stronger burning flame that does not flicker. The present invention does not flicker because organic fibers embedded throughout the present invention provide a stable base for the firelog to wick from. Different organic fibers may be used to vary the burn rate and peak temperature. During combustion of the firelog, the material readily ignites with a high, intense flame.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, in whole or in part, directly relates to the present invention producing less smoke and producing a less unpleasant odor. Long organic fibers of this present invention produce less smoke partially due to their low density. Long organic fibers of this present invention also produce a less unpleasant odor when burned because the natural organic fibers of this present invention do not have to be processed as much. Replacing natural raw organic fibers of this present invention with highly processed and dense components of other firelogs results in a product that produces less smoke and a less unpleasant odor. Additionally, any caloric value lost is negligible since raw organic fibers usually contain similar BTU to higher content than materials which they are replacing.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, in whole or in part, also directly relates to the present invention weighing less. Organic fibers of this present invention less and will replace components of firelogs that are heavy.

In one embodiment of this present invention, palm fiber from a palm tree or processed from palm fruit is added as an organic fiber to this firelog. Palm fiber, which has a high energy content of 10500 BTU/lb, when substituted for dense non absorbent cellulosic material enables the firelog to be extruded at lower pressures due to Palm Fiber's low density as seen in Table 1 while maintaining the similar energy content to the dense non absorbent cellulosic material it replaces.

In another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth or other volcano can for certain beneficial purposes. In this embodiment, the firelog of this embodiment is composed of each of the following based on weight proportions: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 10% to about 60%, (b) combustible cell material from about 10%-60%, (c) non absorbent cell material from about 0% to about 20%, (d) long strain organic fibers from about 1% to about 10%, (e) diatomaceous earth 1% to about 10% (f) ZincOxide as a modification material 1%-5%. The resulting firelog will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of diatomaceous earth and related silica based rock and volcanic rock like pumice known for its beneficial porous properties include: diatomaceous earth and diatomine, as well as pumice. Diatomaceous earth and similar heat stable rock material when substituted into a firelog allows for better airflow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exo skeleton. Diatomaceous earth also improves the surface area available for a fire log since diatoms provide empty air pocket reserves within the firelog. The combination of increased airflow and a greater surface area produces a firelog of this present invention that is capable of burning at a higher temperature without flame flickering.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an example of one embodiment of this present invention manufactured according to the above descriptions. The manufactured firelog 102 is enveloped in an outer wrapper 101 that may be gelled on the inside with flammable fluid. The outer wrapper 101 in FIG. 1 shown as being open with the firelog 104 protruding from the open wrapper. The outer wrapper 101 in this example has tapered ridges to promote easy combustion 102. The firelog 104, is molded into a rectangular shape, but other shapes are possible according to the known industrial methods of creation. The firelog of this present embodiment, contains dual notches 103 running the length of the firelog to increase surface area. These notches may be gelled or ungelled to promote initial ignition (not pictured). The above described embodiment is merely an example embodiment and there is no intent to limit this present invention to the configuration as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention. The firelog 201 may be shaped into various rectangular, square or circle shapes typical of most industrial fire logs. The diatomaceous earth particles 202, act to improve airflow in the firelog by creating pockets of air for the flame as it progresses through the other materials 204 of the firelog. The organic raw fibers 203 present in the firelog provide a means to ensure constant combustion and a method to prevent flickering of the flame.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the one embodiment of the present invention with a quarter piece of the firelog 301 of the present invention. The firelog 301 has had a quarter piece of the it removed for illustrative purposes and to provide a cross sectional horizontal view of the present invention. Long porous organic fibers 304 line the interior of the firelog and promote efficient and stable oxidation. These long porous organic fibers have the added benefit of protruding slightly 305 slightly the ends of the firelog to provide an easy base to wick from. Further, diatomaceous earth 302 lines the interior of the firelog to create air pockets that increase oxidation and promote the free flow of air 302.

The firelog of this present invention may be shaped according to the broad variety of firelog shapes known. For example, the present invention may have a cross sectional circular shape or a cross sectional rectangular shape. Long notches or grooves may be added onto the to increase surface area and enable ignition. These long notches may or may not be filled with combustible gel. Moreover, this present invention may be enveloped in a well-known firelog wrapper that aids in initial combustion by providing starter material and a fuel based inner wrapper. The present invention may be composed of a variety of different modifications described and is not intended to be limited to the above described modifications.

The firelog of this present invention is prepared by the common industrial method of creation of firelogs. Accordingly, raw non absorbent cellulosic material and absorbent cellulosic material (typically saw dust and shells) are grinded together processed to be no greater than an ⅛^(th) of an inch squared in size. Raw organic natural fibers may then be added. In one embodiment, diatomaceous earth is added and blended with the cellulosic mixture. In another container, the wax or binder is heated and subsequently mixed into the blended mixtures. All components are mixed in based on their percentages of weight according to this present invention. While the mixture is cooling, the mixture is then placed into a machine and a block is formed typically by extrusion or mechanical pressing. The finished brick is cut into, a desired length and possibly notched. Additives such as a flammable gel or external coat may be added. Finally, an outer wrap is added. 

1. An artificial fireplace log comprising: a natural component synthesized log; a log containing porous organic fibers that provide greater oxygenation;
 2. An artificial fireplace log comprising: a natural component synthesized log; a log containing porous silica based (diatomaceous earth) to enhance oxygenation.
 3. An artificial fireplace log comprising: a natural component synthesized log; that lights and maintains a flame better than existing products. 